


Let's Not Make It A Habit

by DemonNovak



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020) RPF
Genre: Gun Violence, Hurt Carlos, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, cause im a huge softie, gunshot wound, it all works out in the end tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:15:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23662183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonNovak/pseuds/DemonNovak
Summary: An angry husband shows up at the police station while Carlos is on shift. Carlos stands in front of the door separating the man from his wife and thus is the one to try and calm him down. Then the gun is pulled.------------------Carlos blinks slowly and has a loopy grin on his face, a side-effect from the drugs. He brings up his hand slowly to stroke his thumb across TK's cheek. "Hey," Carlos starts, getting TK to look him in the eyes, "we've both been shot now."TK lets out a huff and a small smile, "Yeah, well lets not make it a habit."
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 4
Kudos: 200





	Let's Not Make It A Habit

**Author's Note:**

> Hey, I just started getting back into writing so this may be a little rough. Still, I hope you enjoy it!

The day had been uneventful for Carlos. His work load had mostly been paperwork and that meant being slouched over his desk all day while sneaking texts off to TK whenever possible. It was nice for them to be able to talk in between cases while on shift. It was a way to calm their nerves considering how dangerous both of their jobs can be and with TK having been shot already, Carlos tends to worry a little more. But he's managed to mostly keep that to himself as to not push at the man too hard. Just recently the term 'boyfriend' has come into play and while Carlos couldn't be happier, sometimes he's afraid he'll be pushing too far or too fast. 

Carlos' phone buzzed with a new text, but before getting the chance to look another officer comes over with a woman, asking Carlos to take over.

"Please, sit," Carlos smiles at her. He can see her hands shaking. She couldn't be older than 30 and there was a subtle fear in her eyes. It gave Carlos a bad feeling, like today being so calm was nothing but a bad sign. She still seems shaken so he speaks up again, "I'm Officer Reyes."

"I'm Amber," She tries to smile at him, but it doesn't reach her eyes.

"What seems to be the problem?" He asks lightly. 

"The courthouse is closed and uh I- I need a restraining order against my husband. He's been refusing to sign the divorce papers and it was fine when I moved out, but he's started to show up at my house screaming and I just need to get back to my life, not worrying about if he'll be there waiting for me," She rushes out, almost in a panic. 

Carlos nods to her, "Alright. Getting a restraining order is an application process, but I can get you started and then help with any follow steps alright?" She agrees, but still looks around the room clearly nervous. Carlos smiles again, "If you would feel more comfortable I can take you into one of our questioning rooms?"

"I'd appreciate that," She smiles at him and this time it's actually genuine. 

They get up and he leads her to a room not even ten feet from his desk. As she sits down and Carlos is about to start talking her through the steps, voices start getting louder on the outside of the room. 

"Sir, you need to calm down," Someone says, an officer Carlos assumes. 

A man screams in response, "I know she's here! Let me see her!"

Amber looks to Carlos and it's a mix of fear and guilt. "That's my husband."

He puts a comforting hand on her arm, "It's not your fault he's here, you had no way of knowing. It'll be alright, just stay in here and we'll get it taken care of. Okay?" She nods and Carlos starts to leave. 

"I won't have to see him right?" She asks concerned. 

Carlos shakes his head lightly, "No, I won't let him come in here." Amber loses some of the tension and slouches slightly in her chair, believing Carlos means it and he does. His job is to protect people and this woman is scared, and even if he doesn't understand the situation right now, it's his job to keep them separated. 

Carlos opens the door and closes it as quietly as possible behind him, trying not to draw attention to it. As he looks up he sees his partner, Maya, standing in front of a man who looks incredibly pissed off. They are standing right next to Carlos' desk and the man doesn't miss him leaving the room from that short a distance. 

"Is she in there?" He shouts.

"Who are you looking for?" Carlos starts, trying to mentally figure out how to get friendly with this guy. He's clearly upset and the situation needs to be diffused as quickly and safely as possible.

"My wife!"

"Alright. What's your name and the name of your wife?"

"Her name is Amber."

"And you are?" Carlos tries again.

The man seems hesitant. "John," He huffs out, but the anger is still clear in his eyes and the way he moves. His fists are clenched tightly at his sides. Nothing about this feels safe to Carlos. 

"It's nice to meet you John, I'm Officer Reyes," Carlos introduces, hoping to gain some ground with John.

"I don't care who you are! Where is she?"

"I just spoke to her. You are both emotional right now so I can't let you see each other bu--"

John takes a step forward, shoulder shoving Maya out of his path as he stares at Carlos. "Let me see her!" He demands. 

In his peripherals, Carlos can see all the other officers tuned into the situation in front of them. Some officers are standing close to the civilians next to their own desks, protecting them from any chance of violence. It doesn't bode well for Carlos' confidence right now, and he slightly acknowledges some teen who probably missed a ticket or something pointing a phone in their direction. No doubt recording the encounter, putting slightly more pressure on Carlos. Still, he blocks them out and stays focused on the situation at hand, calming this man down. 

"I understand that. You'll be able to see her soon, we just have to get statements individually and let you both settle down. It's just standard," Carlos sees the mans fists come apart so his hands are just resting at his side. He's clearly still mad, but this is progress. "If you just want to take a seat right there at my desk," Carlos points to the chair barely a foot from the man, "we can start to get this all figured out and then you can see your wife." He knows he's lying, he promised that woman she wouldn't have to see him. It's a chance he's taking, but he needs John calm now. 

The rooms seems to stand still after Carlos' words. John is contemplating them and Carlos just stays still, hoping the man will take his word. In the back of his mind is still the nagging feeling of something being wrong. In that same part of his mind he thinks vaguely of TK, of the text message he hasn't seen yet. He wishes he was still curved over his desk with an aching back, texting TK like nothing was wrong. But now something is wrong. Even if it seems calmer, he feels it. Something isn't right. 

After what feels like hours, John nods. He goes to move towards the chair and as he does his shirt rides up just slightly.

"GUN!" 

\-------------

It had been quiet almost all day for the 126. The trucks had been cleaned, then cleaned again. TK had lifted weights with Paul, who kept giving him crap for constantly checking his phone and then in Judd's kind words, "smiling like a lovesick teenager." Still, it was nice for TK, knowing Carlos had the time to text him and complain about the loads of paperwork. It meant he was safe and not stressed out. It comforted TK. Even though he was the one who got shot, he worries about Carlos every time the cop goes into work, knowing things can get dangerous quickly. 

Both the 126 and Michelle's crew were sat at the table getting ready to eat, when Mateo points out what's playing on the news. 

The first thing that registers in TK's mind is Carlos' face plastered on the screen. Michelle turns up the TV with shaky hands.

"Now this is live footage of a disturbance at the APD," The newscaster starts.

"There's no weapons or anything, why is it on the news?" Mateo asks. 

"Because they're hoping for something to happen," Owen states, looking to his son with concern because if this does go south, he doesn't know how to comfort TK if he loses what he only just found. 

They try to eat, Michelle and TK both keep looking up at the TV and then back at each other. When they make eye contact they can see the pure worry and anxiety shared between them. Michelle, for her best friend and TK, for his boyfriend. 

"It seems the officer has gotten the man to calm down --"

"GUN!" The shouted warning cuts the newscaster off and startles everyone in the room. They stare in horror as the man pulls his gun as the cops do and four shots ring out. Michelle lets out a gasp as TK starts to struggle to breathe. 

\-----------

Carlos feels his head jerk back. It's so violent that he doesn't register the jolt of his lower body. It's wet. He feels wet and his head hurts. He can't hear properly. He can see Maya in front of him and another officer holding his hands over John's chest and there's blood. Carlos tries to think, but it's hard. The ringing in his ears is deafening. He can't hear what Maya is saying, but he sees her lips moving. His chief is next to her. They're trying to talk to him. Why is he so wet?

He goes to open his mouth, to ask what's going on. Instead of words he coughs, he coughs and coughs again into his hand. When he pulls it back there's blood. Slowly Carlos starts to feel it. He reaches up to feel the wet spot of his head and it strikes pain throughout his whole body. When he pulls it back his hand is covered in blood. He looks down to see Maya holding her hands over his stomach. There's so much blood. He's wet. There's a lot of blood. Next thing Carlos feels is his back hitting the ground. 

\----------

"This footage is incredibly graphic," The newscaster continues to speak, even though no one is listening to her at this point. 

TK can't pull his eyes from the screen. Carlos, his Carlos, was covered in blood. He got shot. Carlos is shot. 

"We should be there!" Michelle screams. There's tears in her eyes and so much pain in her voice. 

Judd walks over to grab her hand, "We aren't the closest Michelle. Some is gonna get 'em and then we'll get you to the hospital." Michelle nods and leans against Judd as she stares at the screen. 

They see the two officers over Carlos desperately trying to keep pressure over the two wounds in his torso. "Someone wrap his head!" The chief screams. "We need to stop the bleeding!" Whoever is holding the camera is close enough to hear their words and have a view of Carlos laying on the ground. "GET SOMEONE HERE NOW!" 

"Dad," TK's voice breaks desperately. Owen rushes over to hold him in his arms. "I just got him dad. I can't lose him. I can't-" TK starts to cry into his fathers arms as Owen watches on, hoping that Carlos can make it through that. 

\----------

Carlos is having a hard time keeping his eyes open. The ringing in his ears has lessened. He can hear his own breathing, rough and struggled through the blood. He could hear his chief screaming for help. 

Carlos reaches his hand out, he tries to grab Maya. She turns to him and brushes her hair out of her face before placing the hand back on Carlos. The action left a smear of his blood on her forehead, but he doesn't think she noticed. "Hey, you're gonna be okay, alright? You're gonna get outta this."

He tries to talk again, but it's so difficult. It's hard to breathe. It's hard to think. It hurts a lot. He thinks that has to be a good sign right? He can still feel it. 

"TK," Carlos finally manages to cough out. He continues to try and say more. He doesn't want TK to worry. He doesn't want to hurt TK. He needs TK to know how he feels, that he had no intention of leaving him. That he didn't want to die, not now, not when they've finally gotten comfortable. Not when things are starting to look up. Not when there's a real future for them. But he doesn't want this to hold TK back. He needs TK to know. He's trying to say it. He's trying to tell Maya so that TK can know. He needs her to tell him. 

Maya looks at him with so much sympathy that if he wasn't scared before, he would be now. "I'll call him. I'll let him know where they take you." She looks around, stopping only to make eye contact with the chief before looking back to Carlos, "Someone's gonna get here alright? You're gonna get help." She repeats it again, more to herself. Then again, just above a whisper. She's trying to comfort herself. 

"WHERE ARE THEY?"

It's hard to stay awake.

\-----------

Carlos wakes up to a dull beeping in the background. Something feels tight on his head and there a heat in both of his hands. It takes a few tries, but he manages to get his eyes open. He takes notice of the three filled chairs in the room. Against one of the walls is Owen, asleep in a chair, no doubt here for his son. TK is taking up the chair on his left with a death grip on his hand, even in sleep. Carlos can see the faint tear lines on his cheeks and a feeling of guilt works it's way into his body. 

"He was really worried about you," Michelle speaks quietly from his right. "We all were. When he saw you get shot on the news, Carlos it was terrifying."

"On the news?" He asks.

Michelle sighs, "Yeah. Someone was recording on their phone and live streaming it. They were casting it hoping something would happen and sure enough, here you are."

Carlos take a second to let it settle in that he was shot for the whole world to see. "My head-" He starts, but doesn't know how to finish. He feels fine. He can talk, he can see. 

"The bullet only grazed your head, they stitched it up and you were good," She squeezes his hand and he smiles at her, thankful for the comforting gesture. "The bullet in your shoulder went through and was easy enough for them to fix. The one in your stomach hit your lung, which is why you were coughing out blood, and was heading toward your heart. They managed to get it out with little damage. The doctor can explain it all to you in detail." She takes in breath and looks him in his eyes, "You were lucky."

He nods and squeezes her hand. "I'm good. How drugged up am I?" 

She laughs lightly, "Enough to think you're good." She looks down to TK sleeping and Carlos follows her line of sight. "I'm going to get Owen out of here and grab some coffee so you can wake him up and have a moment." 

He smiles great-fully at her as she moves from her chair to Owen's. He wakes with a jerk and looks around the room. His eyes land first on his sleeping son and then he meets Carlos' eyes. Slowly he gets up and makes it his bedside. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me too, sir," Carlos says awkwardly causing Owen to laugh. 

"Owen works just fine," He corrects. Owen looks to TK again. "My son really cares about you, when you were hurt I thought maybe part of my son would be gone too," Owen starts and Carlos fears that he's about to get the talk while shot in a hospital bed. "He made a good choice with you. You're good for him," He admits. It's not something Owen says often, or has ever said for that matter. He doesn't take his sons heart lightly and in his eyes no one has ever been good enough. He's disliked every one of TK's past boyfriend. Still, Carlos is making Owen feel more comfortable about trusting his sons heart. Carlos looks to TK and Owen can see the love and knows that Carlos could be it. 

"I plan to be good for him, to him. As long as he'll let me," Carlos shares, never taking his eyes off of TK. 

Michelle and Owen look at each other and then leave the room with one last look at their boys.

After they leave the room, Carlos moves his other hand to rest on TK's head and slowly starts to play with his hair. TK stirs slightly, moving into the comforting touch. Carlos continues until TK blinks awake. Once he realizes Carlos is awake he sits up so fast the hand in his hair falls as he starts to look Carlos over. "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" TK rushes out. 

"Just let me look at you," Carlos takes in the fresh tears about to fall from his boyfriends eyes. He remembers asking for TK. He wanted to tell him so much in case he had died. He was so scared to never see TK again and looking at him now, Carlos doesn't think he'll ever get enough of this man. "This feels vaguely familiar," Carlos states in a more light-hearted tone.

"How so?" TK question, voice slightly rough. 

Carlos blinks slowly and has a loopy grin on his face, a side-effect from the drugs. He brings up his hand slowly to stroke his thumb across TK's cheek. "Hey," Carlos starts, getting TK to look him in the eyes, "we've both been shot now."

TK lets out a huff and a small smile, "Yeah, well lets not make it a habit."

"I asked Maya for you," Carlos admits. "She was covered in my blood and she looked so scared. I thought that was it for me. And I was lying there so worried that I'd never see you again. I didn't want to leave you," Carlos' voice gets quieter and there's a hint of guilt as he finishes, "I didn't want to hurt you."

TK squeezes his hand and brings the other to rest on his cheek. "You didn't hurt me, just scared me is all."

"I'm sorry you had to watch."

"It's not your fault that it was on the news. At least you're okay now." They take a moment to just look at each other. They know the pain that they're both in. TK, no doubt traumatized by watching his boyfriend get shot in what's suppose to be a safe place flooded with cops and then watching as he's bleeding with paramedics minutes away. Then Carlos, as if the healing process isn't hard enough, he knows the damage this is going to do to his head. Not the gunshot wound, but the experience. He was so close, he had talked John down and then he was bleeding. He was watching his friend holding his wounds as he was bleeding through their fingers, trying desperately to talk to them. There was nothing easy about today. 

TK opens his mouth to speak again, but at first nothing comes out. "I-," he starts. "I-," he tries again. TK huffs, frustrated. He wants to say it. He wants to tell Carlos how he feels. He does feel and he wants him to know, but it won't come out. He can't bring himself to say it, not yet. 

Carlos seems to understand the struggle in TK's mind as he speaks up instead, "I'm not going anywhere, alright? I'm with you, as long as you'll have me tiger." 

TK smiles up at him, "Well then you are stuck with me for awhile."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." 

As they continue to just look at each other, they can both feel it. The love that just surrounds them and when the time is right they'll be able to vocalize it. Right now, they're happy to just be alive together.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think with comments and thanks for reading!


End file.
